The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-02-16


about two tons of hay on his farm per acre.
He did not cut his grass close in moving.
He figured the cost of manure for his farm at
about $500 per year. He didn't advocate
seeding In the fail, except in sandy soil i'm
mediately after haylng. He had used ashes
for fertilizers with good results, spreading
them over the ground and narrowing them
In. de used about 200 bushels of leached
asnes per acre, and he got good crops off the
land for eight years Had never used sand
on clay soil, but believed in it. Had never
tried under draining on his land, as it is roll
ing land. Narrowed in ashes gave double
the results obtainable by top dressing.
Couldn't say whether rust came from plant
ing too much seed. Heavy seeding makes
finer hay.
Mr. Harris said when he didn't take two
crops year off his land the crop the next
year was deficient He thought in moving
you should not go below the second joint
with the knife.
Captain Sawyer of North Yarmouth gave
his experience with clay loan soil from
which second crop was taken late in Au-
gust. A spell of dry weather followed. The
next summer his yield of grass from this
land was small.
Afternoon.
In the afternoon the meeting was called
informally at 1.30 o'clock, and pending the
arrival of the late members the discussion Of
the question of the morning was resumed.
Mr.. Holbrook advised, with regard to
making grass speciality, that the blowing
be shoal and the seeding be frequent He
urged the use of clover and gave as his ex-
perience that his land had been greatly i'm
proved by such use. He urged in general
grass growing the plan of rotation of crops
first corn, then potatoes, grain, and, with
the grain, grass.
Mr.. Deering made few pithy remarks
about the folly of requiring of land, crops
which it was not adapted to produce
At about O'Clock, the room being well
filled, Mr.. Elbridge Cushman, president of
the, Plymouth Agricultural Society of Mas
sachusetts, was introduced and began his
remarks on
CORN CULTIVATION.
He said that the great question in the
minds OF thoughtful farmers in this part Of
the country is whether on their farms they
can raise corn cheaper than they can buy Of
the great cornfelds of the West. In his
treatment of the question he said first that
planting corn in any kind of land, whether
suitable or not, is impossible in these
times Of great competition Land must he
selected with the utmost care and in an ex.
tent OF not less than ten acres to derive a
good profit In the treatment of this land
give 1t hrst careful powing-for this we can
inquire on an expense of $1.75 per acre. Next
the ground must be narrowed; this can best
ne done with strong team of three horses
and disc harrow, at an expense of abont 50
cents per acre.
Next as for fertilizer. Phosphoric acid
must enter into this, of course, and this ele-
ment n n the form Of ground bone must cost
ABOUT $2.SS per acre. Potash, another nee
eSsary Ingredient, can best be procured in
the form OF mur1ate of potash This suh-
stance OF high grade will average 30 per
cent pure potash and can be applied at a cost
of $3.50 to the acre.
The, next element necessary to plant
growth is nitrogen. In getting fifty bushels
Oh corn 10 the acre we need about GA pounds
OF nitrogen and this expense we NAV esti
mate at about $l066 per acre. The speaker
sald tnat he had recently depended for his
nitrogen upon his barn-yard dressing. He
gave his cattle cotton seed meal which Il
TIC rich in this element. For applying fer
tlllZers about % cents an acre will
cover the expense if some device be
used which will spread about ten acres
per Gay. Marking the ground will
before planting will cost % cents more to
the acre. Planting and planting over will
amount to 40 cents. Then harrow with n
light harrow every week for about three or
TOUR weeks, SO that the whole cost of harrow
ing from the beginning will amount to about
So. Thinning out wilt cost about 30 cents
per acre. Then the ground should be horse
hoed one way of the field one week and cross
wise the next week for about four weeks
ms with light horse can be well done for
ABOUT ~ more. Next comes stocking Fiji
teen hills make a good stock, fourteen cut
ana stood around the ffteenth hill which Is
lett uncut until the stock is tied 1t should
pc tled twice and then the uncut stalk should
pc cut. This stocking and cutting will cost
ABOUT 80 per acre. For carting allow 90
centS per acre. Husking, cribbing and stor-
Ing will cost S.. Now, Valuing the land at
500 per acre, the interest and taxes will
amount to So.
The entire footing will be 5000. There
VIII De about two tons of slower which at $40
per ton will leave $1639 for the fifty bushels
OF corn or only about 80 cents a bushel. So
that IN New England at the present prices of
corn tnlS cultivation pays a profit of lust
about fifty per cent.
Evening Session.
In the evening there was evidently some
misunderstanding as to the number of ses-
Sions OF the Institute. and those in attend
ance were obliged to discuss agriculture in
the corridors of the City Building until some
one found the key and unlocked the Munich
pal Court room. After admission to the
room had been gained, however. the busi-
ness was promptly taken up, and Mr.. Phil
brook of Boston introduced as the speaker
OF the evening. He treated his subject in an
interesting manner, illustrating the refer
ences to the different appliances used in
growing and preserving vegetables. by draw
ings upon the blackboard. The subject was
MARKET GARDENING.
Market gardening said Mr.. Philbrook, is
intimately connected with general farming,
and yet, in many respects, is widely differ
ent from it. The man who engages in this
pursuit should possess as qualifications. a
love for the business, experience, location
near to market. good land and capital.
With the first of these qualifications man
may overcome the lack of others and acquire
e ea experience is necessary to sue
cess In market gardening as in everything
else, and the man who engages in The busi
ness without 1t is likely to put his money in
ana never get it out again. AS to a location.
~ II the Market gardeners farm is within
three miles OF market his teams can make
tnree trips day, while if five miles away
only Two trips can be made, and only one
When the farm is ten miles from the market
= earness to market is also desirable in or
fl 70 follow the fluctuations of prices, and
be able to take advantage of a rise
AS the best soil for the purpose of raising
market vegetables, Mr. Philbrook recoms
mended a sandy loan. In the vicinity of
Boston land has been brought into use which
cach III VIC country would not be thought fit
Tor the pasturage of sheep. The capital re-
quired for market gardening in the vicinity
Of Boston is from $500 to 5000 an acre. al
though Mr. Philbrook knows men who have
earned q competency who started with
nothing but their own level heads As
means to acquire the necessary experience
for the business, the speaker recommended
that the novice should hire out with some
gardener for two or three wears
At the end of that time, If he was not sick
81 the business, ehe would have experience
enough to start on his own account.
Mr.. Philbrook then described the hot beds.
hot houses, storage pits and other appliances
u the business. He urged upon his hearers
he necessity of an abundant supply of
water for land devoted to market gardening.
Near Boston, horse manure is generally used
rs fertilizer on garden land